Posted: Fri, Sep 23, 2005, 7:22 AM ET (1122 GMT)
The European Space Agency (ESA) announced Thursday that it has extended the mission of its Mars Express orbiter for one Martian year. The decision, made at a meeting of ESA's Science Program Committee on Monday, will free up funding to operate the mission for 23 months. The spacecraft, which arrived at Mars at the end of 2003, was originally intended to operate for one Martian year. The spacecraft is operating well with the exception of a spectrometer which malfunctioned earlier this year. The extended mission will in particular allow additional use of the MARSIS radar on the spacecraft, which was deployed only earlier this year after a year of technical delays. The radar is designed to study the planet's upper atmosphere as well as look for subsurface water.

Related Links:

•  BBC article
•  ESA press release